‘Radio Uncle’ was painted across Mumbai. Police probe led to 73-year-old man who loves music - The Indian Express

For months, residents of Mahim, Matunga and Dadar have been seeing the words “RADIO UNCLE” painted on walls, compound gates and outside shops. There was no phone number, no address, and little to indicate who Radio Uncle was.

A police case has now identified him as 73-year-old Ravi Ramlal Kapoor, a resident of Mahim, who has spent the past decade travelling around the neighbourhoods selling speakers and playing old Hindi songs.

The Shivaji Park police have booked Kapoor under Sections 3 and 4 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995, after a BMC licensing inspector found “RADIO UNCLE” written on the walls of the BMC School City of Los Angeles Municipal School, a well at Manmala Devi Temple, Lakshmi Sadan near Gokhale Road, around Patkar House and at several other locations.

According to the complaint, the writings were advertisements for Kapoor’s business and had been put up without permission on public property.

Kapoor, however, had told The Indian Express earlier this month that he was not the person who painted the signs. He said a man had approached him and offered to write “Radio Uncle” around the area. Kapoor agreed, saying he wanted to support someone who was willing to work.

“He claimed to be an artist, and I like to support people who work hard,” Kapoor had said.

He later asked the man to stop, Kapoor said, though he was not specific about how much he had paid him or how many locations had been covered.

The signs had been appearing for months, starting in the inner lanes of Mahim West and spreading towards Matunga and Dadar, including around the Plaza Cinema junction and Dadar overbridge. At some places, the words were painted against a maroon background.

But Radio Uncle was already known to many people in these neighbourhoods.

A cobbler in Matunga West described him as the man who travelled around on a cycle and scooty, playing old Hindi songs loudly. A key maker near Matunga bridge said he had seen Kapoor at Shivaji Park, where he would play songs and sell radios and speakers.

At around 8 am, Kapoor could usually be found near Shivaji Park with a speaker, another one kept beside him and a large bag carrying more speakers.

“This has been my routine for around 10 years now,” he had said.

“I come here, spreading the beauty and joy of good music to people, hoping they’ll buy one of my speakers and make it a part of their lives.”

Kapoor retired from his small electronics business around six years ago. Originally from Sindh, he studied till Class 5 and lives at Pereira Mansion near Shitaladevi Temple in Mahim.

His speakers, sourced from select shops, cost between Rs 600 and Rs 2,000. On one morning at Shivaji Park, he sold a Rs 600 speaker to a woman and showed her how to use it. He also gave her a Radio Uncle tote bag, a Ganesha fridge magnet and a few other items.

Kapoor said he knew customers could buy similar speakers online but believed his selection and the additional items he offered gave customers value for money.

His interest in old music, he said, began with the Saregama Caravan radio.

“I was inspired by the Saregama Caravan radio, which prompted me to start this to spread my love of music,” he had said.

He spoke at length about old Hindi film songs and named Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi and Shailendra among his favourite lyricists.

His son, an advocate, also made an AI-generated pamphlet for him carrying details of the speakers and his phone number.

Kapoor had become a familiar figure around Shivaji Park. Walkers would wave at him or stop to speak to him. He would play songs, demonstrate speakers, and talk to people about old music.

Not everyone who approached him was there to buy something. On one occasion, a customer returned a CD containing about 2,000 old songs that Kapoor had sold him because it did not work in his car. The songs were on the CD, but the format was not compatible with the car. After an argument, Kapoor returned the money.

When asked earlier whether anyone had complained about the painted advertisements, Kapoor said nothing had come to his notice.

“Some people are bound not to like it. If that happens, I will apologise and rectify it,” he had said.

Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city. Expertise Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information. Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department. Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others. Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture. Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in.   ... Read More